Village News

The Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV) was formed 60 years ago by a group of dedicated community leaders who believed in the importance of preserving the history and stories of the early Mennonite settlers of southern Manitoba. They came together with a variety of interests, skills, and business connections, but they were all volunteers. MHV has evolved and grown over the years, but the core of its energy has always come from the volunteers who support the plans and ideas of the museum leadership.

When I joined the staff at MHV in 2018, one of the Program Manager’s responsibilities was to recruit, train, and coordinate our volunteers. Luckily, many volunteers already had many years of service, and they were able to ‘teach’ me about many of the volunteer roles, including how to prepare programs and events and why certain tasks were done a certain way. It was immediately evident that our volunteers cared about the museum and its role in preserving our history and passing the stories on to the next generation.

Over the years, it has become clear to me that our volunteers benefit from their service, as they continue to give MHV their time, their experiences, and their skills. When the thousands of school children visit us in May and June, the volunteer interpreters are encouraged when they relate the story of the early settlers and their way of life, and invite the children into this ‘imaginary land’ with cows and people living in a sod hut, a school day with slate and board as their practice sheet without a Chromebook, and the wonder of the windmill which transforms whole wheat kernels into flour for baking. Volunteers contribute to the beauty of our grounds, and they are proud of their role in keeping the grass mowed, the trees trimmed, the gardens tended, and the streets graded. Carpenters, mechanics, cooks, and quilters all find joy in doing things they enjoy, as they contribute to the operations and events at MHV. Their skills enable MHV to offer community recreation and events for the benefit of our entire community; those who were born here, those who moved here, and those who are new to our city.

It is heartwarming to see different generations working together. We have mother and daughter volunteers who demonstrate pioneer activities, we have grandfather and granddaughter volunteers who take turns giving horse drawn wagon rides at our events, and we have experienced printshop volunteers training interested teenagers who want to learn a new skill. The so-called ‘generation gap’ is removed when younger and more experienced volunteers work side-by-side, to engage visitors to this historical village. Volunteers are integral to the passing on of stories, skills and understanding.

The United Nations has declared December 5th as International Volunteer Day. Our volunteers are dedicated to the mission of MHV, they are selfless in their donation of their time and expertise, and they find satisfaction in knowing that they are contributing to a stronger, more caring community. As we remember the many ways that our volunteers have contributed in 2024, I am truly grateful for the interest and the dedication of our volunteers to our mission, ‘to preserve and exhibit for present and future generations the experience and story of the Russian Mennonites and their contributions to Manitoba’.

Thank you, Volunteers!